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Cody shook his head, acutely aware that all eyes were on him. As the resident expert on the Consortium, his insight carried weight. “They would have sent their own teams, not local law enforcement.”
Kate chimed in, her voice laced with curiosity. “So, you’re saying someone outside the Consortium tipped off the cops? But how would they have known the details?”
The team fell silent, contemplating the implications.
Finally, Jason spoke, voicing the thought they were all grappling with. “Maybe there’s another player in the game.”
Cody couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope at the possibility. Another ally, even an unknown one, would be a welcome change after years of feeling like they were fighting an uphill battle alone.
But he quickly tempered his expectations. “It would be nice,” he admitted, meeting Jason’s gaze. “But I’m not counting on it.”
The team exchanged glances, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. They would figure out the mystery of their unexpected rescue eventually. For now, they had more pressing concerns—neutralizing the virus, dismantling theConsortium, and staying one step ahead of the elusive Seven-Five group.
Too bad he wouldn’t be a part of it.
47
Paige pushedthe food around her plate, appetite vanishing as she watched Cody from beneath lowered lashes. His shoulders were taut, movements jerky and uncharacteristically clumsy. Twice he’d knocked over his water glass. But it was his eyes that betrayed him, darting everywhere but in her direction, as if her gaze might turn him to stone.
She recognized that look. She’d worn it often enough herself.
It was the look of someone about to run.
Struggling to keep her face neutral, she let the conversation wash over her until Jason’s voice cut through her thoughts.
“The Seven-Five group must have taken the virus drive.”
Cody nodded, his fork clattering against his plate. “And eliminated the lab techs. I’d bet they hunted down anyone connected with that lab.”
“If he was still alive, they’d be hunting my dad,” Paige said, the words bitter on her tongue.
Cody’s eyes finally met hers, filled with sympathy and something else. Regret? “Most likely.”
“Like they’ll hunt you,” she whispered.
His silence was answer enough.
Paige leaned forward as Cody and Jason exchanged knowing glances. The tension in the room ratcheted up a notch.
Cody cleared his throat. “This Seven-Five group, they’re not just part of the Consortium. They are the new Consortium.”
Jason nodded, fork pausing midair. “The top brass. The real power players.”
“And they’re done playing games,” Cody added grimly.
A chill ran down Paige’s spine. She’d known the Consortium was dangerous, but this felt different. More personal.
Jason set down his fork with a soft clink. “A smaller group means tighter control, faster decisions.”
“And fewer weak links,” Cody finished.
The implications hung in the air like a gathering storm. A leaner, meaner version of their already formidable enemy.
Graham reached for more roast, his movements deliberate. “They’ll be harder to hide from, too.”
Paige glanced around the table, taking in her teammates’ grim expressions. Fenn’s usual smirk was absent. Tai’s fingers drummed a nervous rhythm on the tablecloth. Even Kate looked unsettled.
Their enemy, far from being on the back foot, had evolved into something potentially more dangerous. More agile. More focused.